Marawi rehab completed by Dec. 2021 despite COVID-19 pandemic —TFBM chair

The target completion of the ongoing rehabilitation effort for war-torn Marawi City will not be rescheduled even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Task Force Bangon Marawi chairperson Secretary Eduardo del Rosario said Friday.

During a Senate hearing of the committees on finance and economic affairs, Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa asked if the health crisis has, in any way, affected the restoration of the Islamic City which has been destroyed during a seige by ISIS-inspired Maute group in 2017.

"Hindi ba apektado ang budget ninyo, particularly 'yung 2020 budget natin. Wala bang nabawas doon at na-realign para sa response ng COVID-19?" asked Dela Rosa, chair of the Senate Special Committee on Marawi Rehabilitation.

Del Rosario said there were no deductions made and that the timeline of completing the rehabilitation by December 2021 remains.

"'Yung pondo para sa Marawi rehabilitation ay wala tayong pagbabago and with regards to the timeline, we will inform and coordinate with government agencies and their contractors that they will have to double time," he said.

"We can meet the target," he assured the Senate panel.

The Marawi siege marked its third anniversary last May 23.

Vice President Leni Robredo has earlier said that three years after the clash between the government and rebel forces, Marawi remains in ruins and "its people's lives are frozen in time."

Del Rosario, in response, has assured the public that the TFBM is on top of the rehabilitation efforts. "To say there is government inaction in Marawi is very inaccurate," he said.

He said the rehabilitation works are expected to go full blast starting July, following the approval of a P3.56-billion budget for projects approved by President Rodrigo Duterte. --KBK, GMA News